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Criminal courts and jail officials in California, especially in Los Angeles County, typically seek methods to provide some relief to jail overcrowding while controlling criminal activity. Los Angeles County criminal courts provide a variety of alternative sentencing options for certain defendants...

In California, if you are accused of domestic violence or other type of crimes, the prosecutor will often ask the judge to issue a criminal protective order (CPO). However, it's important to note that while the prosecutor will petition the court to issue one, the judge has the final authority on ...

Burglary is often a serious felony offense in the state of California which potentially carries lengthy prison sentences. However, it is important to distinguish between what is most commonly thought of as burglary - a first-degree residential burglary - and other related offenses such as second-...

Conduct that would be considered “criminal harassment” in California is criminal threats, stalking, cyberstalking, and domestic violence related incidents. Criminal harassment charges are pursued by a prosecutor in a criminal court with intent to impose a penalty for committing a crime. This is ...

If you were arrested for criminal offense in Los Angeles County, the pretrial process will proceed when you enter a not guilty plea. The pretrial is a court appearance that allows for motions such as to suppress evidence under California Penal Code Section 1538.5 or a motion to set aside the comp...

Two convicted felons who were accused of assaulting and carjacking a man – then leading police of a high-speed chase ending in a car crash causing injuries – pleaded guilty to the felony charges and were sentenced to a California state prison. Defendant's Donovan Adame, 22, and Eric Guzman, 21, w...

The operator of the world's largest child pornography file-sharing website site located in South Korea was indicted by United States federal prosecutors on federal child porn charges. They filed multiple charges against him for what they called the “world's largest dark web child porn marketplace...

Los Angeles County Prosecutors have filed felony criminal charges against a Los Angeles Police officer that accuse him of beating his girlfriend causing serious injuries on three separate incidents. He was arrested by Los Angeles County Sheriff's Deputies and booked at the Santa Clarita Valley St...

Under California law, a battery under Penal Code 242 is defined as an offensive touching. In practical terms, this means that anyone who physically touches someone else without their permission is guilty of a battery. When that non-consensual, unprivileged touching results in serious enough inju...

In California criminal cases, courts are required to order convicted defendants to pay restitution to victims when a victim suffers financial loss as a result of the crime. If you are convicted of a misdemeanor or felony offense in Los Angeles County or anywhere in California, restitution to the victim is typically...

A former soccer player at California State Northridge has been convicted of raping a woman on the campus that occurred in January 2018. According to Los Angeles County jail records, he was taken into custody in August 2018 by Cal State Northridge police, but was released on bond. He was then re-...

Two Costa Mesa, California men have pleaded guilty to a home invasion robbery that occurred in in Seal Beach back in August 2017. Richard Derderian, 35, and co-defendant Aaron Lipsey, 36, entered a plea of guilty to the felony crimes of robbery, burglary, dissuading a witness by force, criminal ...

On August 26, 2019, in Association for Los Angeles Deputy Sheriffs v. Superior Court, the California Supreme Court reversed a Court of Appeals ruling which enjoined the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department from disclosing to the Los Angeles County District Attorney's office the identities of c...

A Los Angeles jury convicted Michael Gargiulo, known as the "Hollywood Ripper," of two counts of murder and the attempted murder of another person. The verdict was announced after several months of testimony. The sentencing phase will now be scheduled and he is facing life in a California state p...

California is a so-called “two-party consent” state with regard to recording conversations. This means that in general both parties to a conversation must be aware that it is being recorded and consent to that recording or else the act of recording itself is unlawful. California's recording of c...

In Ladera Heights, CA, a naked man was pulled from a chimney by police officers and arrested for burglary after he attempted to burglarize a nearby home before running and hiding in the neighbor's chimney. After he got stuck in the chimney, he began yelling “I'm not crazy,” and was making claims...

A former Wells Fargo bank manager in Glendale, CA who was facing allegations that he unfroze suspicious accounts in connection with a $14 million identify theft scheme to defraud the Internal Revenue Service has pleaded guilty to the federal criminal charges. News reports about the case said the...

California Penal Code 1001.36 allows certain defendants with qualifying mental health disorders to receive treatment instead of criminal prosecution. This program, known as Mental Health Diversion, is a form of pretrial diversion. If successfully completed, the criminal charges are dismissed, and the...

Current California law provides for a cash bail system under which most defendants who appear in court are allowed to remain free in the community pursuant to a bail bond. Most defendants do not have the resources to post the complete cash bail amount themselves, and so they employ a bail bondsm...

Our Los Angeles criminal defense law firm secured case dismissals of multiple cases against same client in the LAX Airport Courthouse. Client was charged with two separate violations of a civil harassment restraining order, a misdemeanor under California law. Specifically, client was alleged to h...

In order to convict someone charged with a crime in California, the prosecutor must prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. Every defendant will have an opportunity to present a defense, normally with assistance from their criminal defense lawyer. Experienced criminal attorneys will typically att...

After you have been convicted of a crime in the state of California, the next step is for the court to sentence you. The sentencing could occur immediately after your conviction or it could be set for a later date. Under California criminal law, this hearing gives the prosecutor and your defense l...

There are certain criminal offenses that a prosecutor can file as either a felony or misdemeanor crime. These offenses are commonly known as a “wobbler.” When a prosecutor is making their decision on how to file a case, they typically consider major factors such as the specific facts of the case ...

If you were arrested for a crime you did not commit, California law provides a powerful remedy: a Petition for Factual Innocence under Penal Code 851.8. Unlike an expungement, a factual innocence finding results in your arrest record being sealed and later destroyed. Once granted, there will...

We have represented numerous physicians, including general practitioners, dentists, chiropractors, and others, who are charged with medical insurance fraud. Insurance companies don't pay physicians as much for their services as they were paid several years ago. Since insurance companies have red...